Plastic recycling in focus as treaty talks get under way in Paris

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debate is emerging between countries wanting to limit the production of more plastics and the petrochemical industry favouring recycling as the solution to plastic waste.

“We’re talking about redesign, and when we’re talking redesign, it’s everything that we need to do so that we use less plastic

13,000 chemicals associated with plastic production, more than 3,000 of which were considered hazardous...plastic recycling processes can release many of these chemicals including benzene into the environment

Qn: Should plastic be banned? (RI J2 Mid-yr 2023)

Releasing AI into the wild ‘like open-sourcing the Manhattan Project’: Nobel laureate Maria Ressa

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the first iteration of AI – seen in machine-learning programmes – was meant to get users addicted to scrolling through social media, so that companies such as Facebook and Twitter could make more money from targeted advertisements and harvested data.

while social media can help children and adolescents find a community to connect with, it also contains “extreme, inappropriate, and harmful content” that can “normalise” self-harm and suicide.

“It’s like open-sourcing the Manhattan Project,” she said, referring to research that led to the development of the atomic bomb.

For qns on AI....

Paid companionship for the lonely elderly: Taboo or growing need?

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Compare this with the use of the robotic pet, Lovot HERE.

with Singapore’s ageing population, Homage has seen a growing loneliness epidemic as a result of older adults living alone or being restricted to the same environment due to age-related illnesses or lower mobility.

many still feel that parental care is part and parcel of filial piety. “They feel that if family or friends know that they outsource this to strangers, they will start to talk,

the tradition of relying on family support in old age is eroding in a number of countries. ..In Singapore...Seniors living alone accounted for 10.2 per cent in 2020, an increase from 8.2 per cent in 2010

For qns on elderly and loneliness.... 

Vietnam battles plastic blight in idyllic Halong Bay and its famed limestone karsts

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Note how tourism creates an adverse impact on the envmt, as well as how it incentivizes the authorities to do something about it to keep tourists coming.....

Since the beginning of March, 10,000 cubic m of rubbish – enough to fill four Olympic swimming pools – have been collected from the water,

But the site’s popularity, and the subsequent rapid growth of Halong City – which is now home to a cable car, amusement park, luxury hotels and thousands of new homes – have severely damaged its ecosystem.  Conservationists estimate there were originally around 234 types of coral in the bay. Now, the number is around half.

received a lot of complaints from visitors. “They read in the media that Halong Bay is beautiful, but when they saw a lot of floating trash, they didn’t want to swim or go canoeing, and they hesitated to tell their friends and family to visit

Rapid economic growth, urbanisation and changing lifestyles in communist Vietnam have led to a “plastic pollution crisis”

Qns: 

1. Should poorer countries develop their tourist industry when the basic needs of their own people are not being met? (Cam. 2007)

2.  Given its environmental impact, is global tourism still desirable today? (RI J2 Mid-yr 2023)

3. Should plastic be banned? (RI J2 Mid-yr 2023)

NEL to get robotic dog to aid MRT train inspections

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After the example of Lovot to assist the elderly of loneliness in an earlier post (see HERE), another robot named kAI will be used for train inspections...

Equipped with a camera and sensors, it conducts visual inspections of MRT trains from different angles, checking different components for faults and utilising its AI algorithm to analyse recorded data before providing recommended solutions to technicians.

kAI has effectively halved the time needed for a train inspection to just an hour, and significantly improved the quality of such inspections

For qns on AI, tech.....

Vanessa Williams' "Colours of the Wind"

For the class that ended last night, this is for you -- if u happen to chance upon this. Forgot to attach when I exited the group.

Click HERE for the concert version

Click HERE if you would like to see those beautiful lyrics, which has an environmental message to it....

For qns on music, the arts, celebrity influence....

13-year-old girl in Australia dies after trying viral social media trend called ‘chroming’

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Qn: 'It is harder than ever to keep children safe in today's world.' Comment. (RI 2023 J2 Mid-year)

US top health official sounds alarm on social media use by kids and adolescents

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Social media use may cause and perpetuate body image issues, affect eating behaviours and sleep quality, and lead to social comparison and low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls,

Most adolescents say social media helps them feel more accepted, more supported during tough times, more connected to their friends, and more creative

Qn: 'It is harder than ever to keep children safe in today's world.' Comment. (RI 2023 J2 Mid-year)

World Ageing Festival to discover high-potential innovations for a greying population

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Staffed mostly by older people living with dementia, the cafe aims to raise awareness about dementia and encourage people to experience what it is like to communicate with someone living with the condition.

The aim is to spread dementia awareness and to make society just that little bit more open-minded, relaxed and kinder

As Singapore hits super-aged status in 2026, it will take “a whole-of-society effort” to tackle ageing in society and build homes where seniors can age well and live with dignity...According to the United Nations, a country is super-aged when 21 per cent of its population is aged 65 and older.

reviewing manpower policies and initiatives to transforming the healthcare system to better meet evolving healthcare needs and strengthening the social safety net with schemes such as Silver Support, CPF Life and CareShield Life.

“we must continue to encourage more partnerships between the public, private and people sectors”.

An innovation showcased at the festival is the use of artificial intelligence to develop a low-maintenance mechanical pet companion. Called Lovot, the rolling robot about the size of a pug is designed to be warm for a hug and has sensors that make it responsive to touch, mimicking a real-life pet. It is estimated to cost US$3,500 (S$4,700).

For qns on loneliness and the elderly....

Qn: To what extent is your society prepared for the challenges of tomorrow? (CJC 2023 J2 Mid-year)

‘How do I fight with that?’: Stefanie Sun issues gloomy response to popularity of ‘AI Stefanie Sun’

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The site has been flooded with covers of songs by various artificial intelligence (AI) versions of Sun, which replicate the 44-year-old Singaporean singer’s voice.

I mean really, how do you fight with someone who is putting out new albums in the time span of minutes?

For qns on AI

Love The Last March: A walkthrough

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For qns on the arts....

Women do 47 minutes more housework than men daily

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One challenge is that the activities men do tend to be less frequent and more deferrable: yard work, home repairs, car maintenance. It is women who disproportionately end up with the daily grind of cooking, cleaning and laundry..... one reason women prioritise flexibility at work – and often accept lower salaries as a result – is that their unpaid work is so inflexible... The gutters can wait; dinner cannot.

For qns on gender equality.....

Envy in Papua New Guinea as Chinese money pours in

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Qn: 'Increased international cooperation has made the world a better place.' Do you agree?

Singapore and Kenya sign three new deals, move investment treaty forward

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climate change an existential challenge for all countries. As such, the carbon credits agreement is one of the ways by which countries can work together to reduce carbon emissions and slow global warming, so that mankind has time to adapt.

important that countries continue to work towards building linkages in the digital economy, cooperating on food, energy security and sustainable development

Kenya wants to acquire knowledge and support from Singapore on its public housing model, which he described as one of the most successful in the world. He said he has also invited firms from the Republic to invest in areas such as Kenya’s transport and logistics sectors.

Kenya’s strategic location to serve as a gateway for Singapore firms to venture into East Africa, and likewise for the Republic to be a launch pad for Kenyan firms to tap the South-east Asian market.

Qn: ‘Increased international cooperation has failed to make the world a better place.’ Do you agree? (ASRJC Prelim 2022)

China's domestic travel recovery marred by anti-spending 'special forces' holidaymakers

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If we recently discussed the 2016 AQ on tourism, note that high tourist arrivals do not automatically translates into the high spending the destination countries are looking forward to. This raises skepticism over the writer's claim that 'all destinations financially gain from tourism'.

Over nine days, she spent just 2,500 yuan (S$480).

On social media, the hashtag “special forces travel” – which refers to an aggressive assault on a tourist area to see and do as much as possible for as little money one can spend

China’s struggling property market, record high youth unemployment and broader worries over job stability, as well as government parsimony on wages, pensions and medical benefits, are keeping consumers cautious

One travel blogger, who posts on the Instagram-like social media app Xiaohongshu under the name of Icecube, said that he slept overnight in a public toilet to save money on a trip to Huangshan mountain in the southern Anhui province.

S’pore home to world’s largest production facility for jet fuel made from waste materials

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S’pore studying govt mandate, incentives to drive demand, lower cost for green jet fuel: Iswaran

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Note the idea that corporations are the ones with the expertise, but govt needs to partner/support them with regulations/incentives to make it feasible / financially viable for the firms to continue with what they are doing..... 

mandates on SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) use will create a level playing field for all airlines, while incentives will be able to help push passengers and companies to voluntarily pay for the additional costs in the early stages of adoption.....there are currently limited subsidies or support packages available to aid airlines in the transition towards SAF in Asia.

Qn: ‘Environmental concerns are best left in the hands of politicians’. Do you agree?

Old and lonely after a successful career, and even when living with family

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Drop me a note if u wish to read the full article but don't have access to the above link....

Loneliness has been defined as a negative emotional response when one’s desire for rewarding and meaningful social connections is not met....a profound sense of loneliness could be as dangerous as smoking or obesity.

The perception of being unneeded and fear of social rejection sustained their loneliness. Such feelings arise after major life transitions, role loss in later life and declining capacity in health and finance. As a sense of shame prevails, these individuals practise social withdrawal to save face or preserve their dignity.

Social roles are important. They integrate individuals into society and shape expectations and behaviours – who we are, how we are perceived and how we interact with others. Role loss occurs after major life transitions including retirement, an empty nest, decline in health or the death of loved ones.

Some resort to social withdrawal to avoid troubling others. “Friends meet to be happy, if I come to them with my problems, it will affect the entire mood,”

Qn: Has modern living made us lonelier?

When you connect through a screen, who are you?

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Drop me a note if u wish to read the full article but don't have access to the above link....

Qn: To what extent has social media devalued true friendship in your society? (Cam. 2021)

Deadly addiction: Why do some pedestrians use their phones despite the risks?

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Drop me a note if u wish to read the full article but don't have access to the above link....

If u recently did the 2022 'A' level compre AQ on smartphones, make the link.....

SEA Games 2023: From US to China and France, Cambodia’s naturalised athletes face scrutiny

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Unlike International Basketball Federation (Fiba)-sanctioned tournaments that allow one naturalised player who has acquired the passport before 16, this year’s SEA Games basketball competition has a passport-only policy regardless of when it was acquired, and no quota.

“They resort to this for immediate success but they have to understand the pride in representing the people of Cambodia all around the world.

The phenomenon is not peculiar to basketball as Cambodia has appeared like a United Nations contingent at these Games.

It has been accused of “cheating” by netizens in the badminton mixed team event – already excluding stronger nations Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines – where it fielded China-born Zhou Meng under the name Chourng Meng.

For qns on sport fairness...relate to Singapore Silver Medal in the 2008 Olympics won by Chinese naturalised players...What about Eileen Gu in the Beijing Winter Olympics?

The impact of celebrity: How Justin Bieber and Co shape their fans’ worlds

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A useful read....

Note the interesting opening BANG ....and the various interesting examples, esp those involving Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Leonardo Dicaprio....

celebrities offer a way for young people to come to terms with their circumstances and aspire to something more. Celebrities are often role models, providing fans with a vision for the type of person they want to be, as well as influencing personal tastes, such as those related to fashion, hairstyles and food choices.

Swift has often used her music to bring attention to various social issues. For example, her 2019 song You Need To Calm Down voiced her support for the LGBT community, while her 2010 number Mean had an anti-bullying message. Her 2019 electropop song The Man also highlighted sexist double standards in society, and imagined how she would be treated more favourably if she had been a man.

Different studies have found that the more intense the celebrity worship, the more it is associated with emotional and psychological issues such as the preoccupation with body image, especially among teenage girls, and a higher likelihood to seek out cosmetic surgery.

For qns on celebrity culture...

Fast fashion is not going away any time soon, so here’s how we change it

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Drop me a note if u wish to read the full article but don't have access to the above link....

Tiredness of life: The growing phenomenon among the elderly

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a group of older people who were not seriously ill, yet felt a yearning to end their lives. The key issues they identified in such people were: aching loneliness, pain associated with not mattering, struggles with self-expression, existential tiredness, and fear of being reduced to a completely dependent state.

You have no effect on anything. The ship sets sail and everyone has a job, but you just sail along. I am cargo to them. That’s not easy. That’s not me. Humiliation is too strong a word, but it is bordering on it. I simply feel ignored, completely marginalised.

The American novelist Philip Roth wrote that “old age is not a battle, old age is a massacre”. If we live long enough, we can lose our identity, physical capabilities, partner, friends and careers.

a gradual “turning out of the lights” in old age. They argue that people steadily let go of life, until they reach a point where they are ready to turn off the outside world.

One of the distinctions in tiredness of life is that there is no desire for, or mourning of, a future; only a profound sense that the journey is over, yet drags on painfully and indefinitely.

medicine has created the ideal conditions for transforming ageing into a “long, slow fade”. 

For qns on ageing and loneliness....

Domestic recycling rate in Singapore in 2022 lowest in more than a decade

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The domestic recycling rate in 2022 fell to 12 per cent – the lowest in more than a decade

NEA’s blue recycling bins, typically located near HDB blocks, collect household recyclables. But about 40 per cent of these cannot be recycled due to contamination from food and liquid waste, tissue paper and other items.

From July 3, most supermarkets will start charging at least five cents for a plastic bag.

From 2025, bottled and canned drinks will cost 10 cents more, but shoppers will get the deposit back once they return the empty plastic bottles and cans for recycling.

Tell the truth, now: Is it okay to lie?

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Qn: ‘Honesty is no longer the best policy.’ What is your view?

Between China and the US: New dynamics, new paths, same balance

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Drop me a note if u wish to read the full article but don't have access to the above link....

Singapore and China elevated their relationship to an “All-Round High-Quality and Future-Oriented Partnership”, and substantively concluded the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Subsequent Negotiations, which will open new opportunities for our businesses. The two countries agreed to further develop the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, deepen cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, green development, and finance, and restore air connectivity.

Singapore has a strategic and comprehensive relationship with the United States. We cooperate extensively with the US in defence, economics, sustainability, cyber security and, more recently, space collaboration.

Qn: ‘Increased international cooperation has failed to make the world a better place.’ Do you agree? (ASRJC Prelim 2022)